Bicycle pedal



c. A. PERSONS. BICYCLE PEDAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 14, 1920.

1 3 5 2 1 5 a Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

CHARLES A. PERSONS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BICYCLE PEDAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 14, 1920. Serial No. 410,254. 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. PERsoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented cer tain Improvements in Bicycle Pedals, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to pedals of bicycles, velocipedes and the like, and it has for its chief object to devise a pedal construction which will have a longer life than the constructions heretofore proposed, which can be readily repaired, and which can be manufactured more economically than prior constructions.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and. the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a pedal constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an angular view of one of the ball cups of the pedal shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an angular view of the dust cap used in the pedal shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an angular view of one of the hardened bearing linings of the pedal shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through the outer end of the pedal showing a modified construction; and

Fig. 6 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 5.

The construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inelusive comprises a spindle or axle 2, sub

stantially of the usual form, having a head 3 at the inner end of the pedal, and a threaded stud 4 projecting beyond said head to be screwed into the crank. This spindle also is provided with a concave shoulder 5 to receive one set of balls 6, and it is threaded at its opposite end to receive a cone 7 which forms one of the bearing members for the other set of balls 8. This cone 7 is held in place by the usual washer and nut.

A barrel 9 consisting of a short piece of metallic tubing encircles the spindle 2 and forms a spacing device for two ball cups 10-10 of novel construction. That is, these ball cups preferably are made from sheet metal by the punch and die process, each cup being provided with a tubular extension 12 at its inner end which fits snugly into one end of the barrel 9. Each ball cup also is provided with a flange-like head, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, which comprises two arms or wings 14-14 that project laterally in opposite directions from the outer edge of the cup portion proper, and each arm has a hole 15 punched therein. A hardened bearing lining 16 is fitted into each ball cup 10, these two member 16-16 cooperating with the shoulder 5 and the cone 7 to form the bearings for the two sets of bearing balls 6 and 8.

The pedal shown in Fig. 1 is provided with rubber tread pieces 17-17 at opposite sides of the barrel and each of these pieces is provided, as usual, with a central, rod 18 threaded at its opposite ends to receive nuts 19 and lock washers by means of which the arms of the ball cups at the opposite ends of the pedal are drawn toward'eachother, and secured to the tread members.

A dust cap also is provided at each end of the pedal, that at the outer end consisting of a sheet metal cap 20 which is held in position by the two nuts 19-19 at this end of the pedal, and this cap prevents the entrance of dust into the outer bearing 8. At the inner end of the pedal, instead of the usual arrangement, a dust cap 21 is provided consisting of a plate, of substantially the form shown in Fig. 3, secured in place by the nuts 19-19 at this end of the pedal, this cap having a central hole 22 therethrough in which the head 3 of the spindle fits snugly.

It will now be appreciated that the construction herein. described can be manufactured very economically due particularly to the fact that the ball cups are made of sheet material and have the arms or wings 14c formed integral with them, this construction avoiding the necessity for turning the ball cups as has heretofore been considered necessary in pedals of the better grades. At the same time the hardened linings 16 provide a good bearing surface to cooperate with the bearing balls, and if after long service these linings should be worn out they can readlly be removed and replaced by new ones. This construction also has the advantage of using larger balls than has heretofore been the prfaotice, thus providing a pedal of longer 1i e.

pedal also constit tesan improvementsince it not only effectually prevents the entrance of dust into the bearing at this endpf -the pedal but it also permits the manufacture ofthe spindle from stock of a small diamete'r sincethe head 3 can, with this construction, be made of less diameterthan'has been necessary in prior constructions.

While the-construction shovvn in Fig. 1 includes'rubbe'r tread pieces, itwill readily be seen "that the same features. of construction can be us'edin ape'dal of the rat trap type. Itwvill' also' be seen that instead of using separate lining pieces for the ball cups, the ball cups themselves can be hardened. A constructionincluding these featnres is sufliciently shown in Figs. 5 and"6 to enable'those skilled in this 'art readily to understand "it: The constriictionihere shown is e'ssentia lly likethat illnstr ated in thefigures" above referred to except for'the differencesjust described. I That'is', the ball cii '24 has thefsame general shape a's'the ba 1'' cup l0 but is made of suitable" dimensions" to receive the'bea-rin'g balls 8 and is hardened so that it will'have'the' proper Wearing qualities.-* This member also instead of being providedvv'ith' ingso'r arms having roundhole's'piinched' therein, is rovided Wltll" slots to receive the ends 26 26 of'th'e" usual tr'ead pieces 27-27 of rat-trap pedal, these] ends being -rive'ted over the Wings of'the dust cap to hold h the cap and the ball cups in their proper positions inthe pedal.

and means at opposite sides of saidba'rrel connecting the arms'ofsaid cupsat the opposit'e ends of thepedal. v

2. Ina bicycle pedal, the combination of a spindle, a barrel e'ncircliifig'g"v said spindle, a ball'cupat each end of said barrel, arms integral Withea'ch cup and exte'nding 'lat' erally therefrom 7 in opposite directions, means connecting the arms of said ciips'"'at Opposite e of e pedal, ball bearinggjin Said PS! dust capat the inner end of said pedal closely surrounding said spindle and i'se'cured in' p'lace 'by said means.

3. Inja bicycle pedal, thecombin'ation' 'of spindle, a ballbearing'at theon'te'r' end of said spindle and including. a' ball "cup,

means connecting saidball cup to the other parts of the pedal, and a sheet metal dust cap'a't" said outer end-"of the pedal having a peripheral flange encir'clingsaid ball cupi' c In testimony whereof I have nameto this specification} i a i 1 CHARLES PERSONS;

signed" my 

